Reliability of laryngostroboscopic evaluation on lesion size and glottal configuration: a revisit.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: This study investigated the inter-rater and intrarater reliability of four basic visual perceptual parameters (lesion size rating and glottal configuration) in laryngostroboscopic evaluation.

STUDY DESIGN: Cohort Study.

METHODS: Two hundred fifty-five laryngostroboscopic video samples were evaluated by three raters on four measurements: 1) mass lesion size rating, 2) amplitude of vocal fold vibration, 3) supraglottic activity, and 4) shape of the glottal closure using the modified Stroboscopy Examination Rating Form.

RESULTS: Good inter- and intrarater reliability were found in rating the lesion size (0.75-0.81, P=.001), anteroposterior supraglottic activity (0.64, P=.001), and glottal closure (0.65, P=.001). Inter-rater reliability in evaluating the mediolateral supraglottic activity and the amplitude of vocal fold vibration were low to moderate (0.50 and 0.46, respectively, P=.001), whereas the intrarater reliability was more variable (0.2-0.70).

CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicated that the evaluation of static structures like lesion size rating, the anteroposterior supraglottic compression, and the glottal closure is a relatively reliable method. The evaluation of dynamic structures, such as the vocal fold vibratory amplitude measure was, however, found to be of low reliability.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA.